Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Almost Wordless




Autumn Fires

In the other gardens
And all up the vale,
From the autumn bonfires
See the smoke trail!

Pleasant summer over
And all the summer flowers,
The red fire blazes,
The grey smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all!
Flowers in the summer,
Fires in the fall! 


Robert Louis Stevenson

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Tuesdays Tip

My hubby buys gum in the round containers that fit the beverage holders in the car.


I am always trying to figure out ways to use these little plastic containers.  One way is to keep quarters for the tolls or for my favorite milk shakes ;-)


But recently I started using one for my curved basting pins.


Now I can keep the pins all together, and they shake out pretty easily.


Have you found any creative ways to re-use something for your sewing room??

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Yay! Found it!!

Isn't it great to find a pattern that you have been looking for??  I went to my LQS and found the Fire Escape pattern that I saw on our recent trip up north.


Although the lady in the quilt shop could not remember the name of the pattern, a couple of you, dear readers, told me the name, and alas, I was able to find it locally!!

The quilt shop was all decked out for Christmas.




And of course I had to buy a little bit of fabric :-)



Similar color way as the quilt I showed you in my last post, except this has the brown background.

Yippee!!! And Happy Quilting!

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Simplicity

"Our life is frittered away by detail. 
                 Simplify, simplify, simplify!"
                                   (Henry David Thoreau)

I've always been a simple quilter.  I like the order of straight lines.  I also like to show off the beauty of fabric.




I fell in love with the focal fabric and pulled out the colors that surrounded the paisley print.



The colors are not true in these pictures, but I do think this is one of the prettiest quilts that I've made. The pattern?  Just Can't Cut It.

A lot of my machine quilting is done with my walking foot.  I find I can manage my quilt with the walking foot.  With a little bit of free motion on the borders.



Nothing very fancy, just enough to add interest to the borders.




Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Question

I saw this quilt in a Quilt shop and I was wondering if anyone knows the name of  the pattern??

The lady at the quilt shop said they did not have the pattern but could order it for me.  I asked what pattern it was, and she could not remember!!?!?!

So I'd love to hear from you dear readers.  As you may have this pattern or have seen it somewhere.

Thanks and Happy Quilting!

Monday, October 21, 2013

Giveaway Insights and Free Stuff!

Did you know that you can check SewCalGal's blog Insights from SewCalGal for updates on giveaways??

You can also find Fabulous Free Stuff on Melody's blog The House on the Side of the Hill.

Just some things you might not read in the Wall Street Journal :-)

Happy Quilting

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Sunday Morning


And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he does shall prosper.
Psalm 1:3 

Friday, October 18, 2013

Coats and Clark

I had another surprise in the mail the other day.  Well it wasn't exactly a surprise, as I was expecting the package.  But I did not know it would be so much fun!!

I think I have mentioned before that I like Coats and Clark thread and use it for most of my sewing and quilting.  Recently they had a giveaway with the cutest fabric and an adorable pattern.  Guess whose number the generator brought up??


Yep, that's the bundle.  And the box on top is full of thread! 


Yipee!!  Thank you Coats and Clark.

Happy Quilting!

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Wordless Wednesday and Friendship wishes


A pretty Fall vignette at an outdoor quilt show.

**** I am adding a Word here, because a dear blogging friend recently broke some bones and had major surgery.  If you know Kelly Jackson from I Have a Notion, please go to her IHAN blog and read about her recent mishap.  All the details are there.  Kelly needs our prayers and if you care to, you can send her lots of Get Well wishes and cards. I'm sure she would love to hear from you. ***

Monday, October 14, 2013

It's so tempting..........

I always want to start something new.  A new quilt, a new project, something to use these pretty fabrics.  But this morning I read on a blog (sorry I don't remember which one) that a gal had over 100 ufo's that needed quilting!!  Wow!  I know I don't have that many, but I have a few...........

So my plan is to quilt some of these ufo's before starting on any other new quilt.  This fall one is a great start!


How many do you have??

Oh and btw, can someone please send the memo to JoAnn's to NOT send me any more 50% off coupons?  They have suckered me down there once too often, only to find that nearly everything (like 98%) is on sale.  So what is the purpose of the coupons??  Sorry, I'm not wasting my gas anymore.

Friday, October 11, 2013

SMS Sewing Machine Review

SewMamaSew icompiling a list of sewing machine reviews from their readers. 


Sewing Machine Reviews

What brand and model do you have?  Bernina Virtuosa 155
How long have you had it?  10 years
How much does that machine cost (approximately)? ?? It was a gift from my hubby :-)
What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?  
I mostly quilt, but have made bags, and a  minimum of clothing.
How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
I quilt on and off, as time allows, but when I am in the process of making a quilt, I may be on the machine for hours.
Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
Love, Love, Love my machine!!  
What features does your machine have that work well for you?
Basically I do a lot of straight stitching, but when I need to use a decorative stitch, my Bernina comes through beautifully.  This is not a bells and whistles machine, pretty basic, but it does have lots of stitches to choose from. 
Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
Not really nuts, but I'd like the harp to be just a little bigger. However, I have been able to manage machine quilting pretty well.
Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
Yes I would recommend this machine to anyone who loves to sew! The reason I love my 155 is that it a basic machine, but very dependable and sturdy.  
What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?
It's important to consider the type of sewing you do. Find a machine that works for you.  Make a list of features you would love to have, then try lots of different brands and different machines within the brands.  It's important that the machine has a good straight stitch if you use it mostly for quilting.  Buy the best machine that you can afford.  
Do you have a dream machine?  Years ago I used to dream of owning a Bernina, so I can honestly say I think I already own my dream machine :-)

Bonus: Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
On Christmas morning in 2003, there was a little black box sitting under the Christmas tree. I wondered what in the world could be in that little box. At first I thought it was some kind of camera. But when I opened the lid, there sat a little Featherweight. My sweet husband and son had been on a mission to buy me a new sewing machine. I was thrilled to say the least!! But that is not the end of the story. You see, my hubby and son had gone to a sewing machine repair store and asked questions. The store owner told them the Featherweight had the best straight stitch, and that quilters everywhere covet them. Hummm, but it isn't a new machine. Oh if you want a new sewing machine you need to go to the store down the road. So in addition to the little Featherweight, my hubby and son bought the Bernina Virtuosa 155. Can you imagine my surprise when I not only opened the Featherweight but the next box was this incredible Bernina!  It's really been a dream come true for me.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

What's this!!

Whoa-ho!! What is this box sitting at my front door??


The label is clearly marked who sent it.


Clearing off my cutting table, I proceed to open this very large box.


YES!!  It is a Sew Easy Ruler Cutter that was a prize during the recent United Notions Measure Twice, Cut Once giveaway.


I had to give this a try, but found the directions were not very clear.


Lots of instructions on how to change the blade, but not too much on how to use the cutter.


But success prevailed, and I was able to cut a very nice 4" wof strip with no problem.  Which is wonderful as I have been limited cutting with my rotary cutter since my wrist surgery.

I'll keep you posted how this little gem works for cutting long strips.  I think this will be great for cutting borders without having the wave in the center *;) winking

Happy Quilting!

Monday, October 7, 2013

The glorious colors of Autumn

Living in Florida, there are no beautiful fall colors that our northern neighbors enjoy.  But a couple of years ago I was visiting my friend who lives in the frozen north, and lavished in the colors of autumn.


My friend's house sits on a corner lot, which claims a beautiful view.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Sunday Morning

"If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you always;
He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land -
you will be like a watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail."

Isaiah 58:10-11

Friday, October 4, 2013

Did you know.........

that tomorrow is World Card Making day??

Recently I won a lovely apron from My Mothers Apron Strings, and inside my package was this beautifully crafted card.



Can you see how much detail there is?  I was totally blown away with the beauty of this card.  

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Making progress


 .................slowly but surely :-)

Happy Quilting!